The Crimson Knight
by Keyblade Master of Promise
Summary: Takato was given a curse as a baby from the vengeful Barbatos.  Set to finally come in full when he is 17, how will he handle it?  Especially when his dream of becoming a knight just came true, will his kingdom's princess be able to help him?  TakatoxJeri
1. Chapter 1:  The Curse

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything like that, however this story is my idea, so don't use it.

A/N: Well, here's another story from me, except I decided to do it a little differently. This story is going to be a TakatoXJeri story set in a middle ages type setting, so bear with me as I give this type of story a shot, please? I'll give a list of characters and the Digimon they **would** be if it were in the digital world (if they represent Digimon) who apear in this chapter.

Raven the priest: Ravenmon

Barbatos the wizard: Barbamon

Megiddo the dragon: Megidramon

That's it for which "Digimon" appear in this chapter, don't worry, more are soon to follow. Oh, and be sure to review, so I know how I'm doing, lol. Anyway, please enjoy chapter 1:

Chapter 1: The Curse

_Prologue-Thirteen years before Takato is born:_

"By order of his majesty, King Katou, you, Barbatos, are hereby banished from the kingdom of Leoniré, never to return, on conviction of purposefully practicing the Dark Arts. What have you to say?" A priest who wore a black cloak that had black feathers as shoulder accents named Raven read a scroll that was handed to him by the King and declared the verdict on the elderly sorcerer.

"It matters not what I say, I hold myself in contempt for my actions. Your judgment on the matter is kind and just, as always, my lord, King Katou. I take my leave, you shan't hear from me again." The grey-bearded man gave a gracious bow and turned to face his escorts and left. As he was taken away in a prisoner's carriage to the border of the kingdom he could no longer call his home, he thought to himself, _"Fools…the honestly they think I'll just let this go by without having my say in the matter? Hah, I'll have my revenge, I swear it. I'll cause them the pain they've given my heart tenfold."_

_Actual story begins, thirteen years later:_

Isamu Matsuki, a local baker, who resided in the village of Rojale of the Leoniré Kingdom, had plenty to be happy about. He just received word while he was at their bakery that his beloved wife, Aimi had finally given birth to their first child, and not just any child, but a son. The Most High had truly blessed his life, he had a loving wife, a booming business, and now, he needn't wait for an heir to all he had, for he was given one, and he was their first born, no less. He closed up shop when he received the news of the happy occasion from the doctor who did the procedure's assistant and raced back to his house, the man who told him following close behind.

He burst through the entrance of his house, out of breath from all the running. "Where his she, doctor? How are they?" Isamu questioned, eager to see his loved ones.

The slightly older man smiled, likely remembering the time he experienced the joy of having a new child, "Mother and child are both in excellent condition, Isamu, oh, and there's no need to call me 'doctor', my friend. You call me by my first name any other time, don't you?"

"Oh, right…I'm sorry, Janyuu. I guess I forgot, what with my son being born and all. Now, where are they resting?" Isamu rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, forgetting that he was indeed close friends with the doctor.

"Oh, it's alright, I wasn't much different when Henry was born a few years ago. Anyway, the two are in your room. You can go see them if you'd like." The blue haired man gave an assuring pat on his friend's back

"Thanks for everything."

"You're welcome, we'll be on our way now, good luck with your new son." Janyuu and his apprentice waved goodbye as they exited the house. With that Isamu walked down the hall way in their meager house and entered into his bedroom. His wife took notice of him coming and gave a tired, yet warm smile.

"He's got your eyes, dear. Oh, isn't he beautiful?" Aimi sweetly spoke in a way that almost sounded like a song, despite the weariness in her voice. Her husband knelt down and took his newborn son into his arms, he was taken in by how innocent the child looked, how sweet, how…"beautiful", as his wife had so expertly put it.

"He sure is, my love. I promise you that I'll be the best father I can be. I'll raise him right, with love, respect, and a strong heart for what is right." The proud father had a look of mixed emotions on his face, it was happy, sad, and scared at the same time, this was because he was just hit with the reality that they were responsible for how this child turned out.

"I promise you that I'll help you to the best of my abilities to reach that goal, Isamu." His wife gently spoke as the two gave each other a hug. "What should we name him?" She asked as she looked down at their sleeping son.

"Let's see…Takato, after your late grandfather. He was a great man."

"That's a beautiful name, dear." His wife gave a loving smile as she fell back to sleep, weary from labor and it being in the middle of the evening. Isamu ran his free hand through his wife's hair, then decided to tuck in his newborn son into the crib like structure he had made in preparation for the new baby that was not too far away from their bed.

Later that night, around midnight, everyone in the Matsuki household was asleep, but as they slept, a mysterious figure showed up next to Takato's crib from what appeared to be from out of nowhere. He was an elderly grey-bearded figure who had a long, black cloak and a sinister staff with a skull at the end of it. It was Barbatos, the old man looked down at the sleeping child, and gave a sinister, wicked smile.

"_Perfect, he's the one. So…innocent…so pure, he will do great things if I just let things flow through time. Heh, if I have anything to say about it, he will still do great things, terrible, but great._" The old man thought to himself as he raised his staff over the crib and began muttering softly mysterious words from a dark language. When he finished, a red light came from the red orb in the staff and shone on the infant. When the light died, he knelt down to where he could see the child's face better through the barred structure that kept the infant safely within the crib. "I have placed the curse of Megiddo upon you. As you age, the mark of Megiddo will slowly spiral up your arm from one full year that passes from today to the next, until it reaches the top of your shoulder. When it finally does reach your shoulder in roughly eighteen years, you will become the terrible, dark dragon of legend, Megiddo, whenever there is a new moon and lose control of yourself for the whole night, creating a path of destruction and devastation in your wake. Farewell, child, I look forward to seeing how your…future plays out." The old man whispered as he disappeared into the dark night.

A/N: Just ask me questions if it is confusing, I'll be more than happy to answer. The infant Takato has a most vile curse placed upon him, what will happen when the time alloted for the curse to awaken has ended? Find out and please review :-D


	2. 2:  A Knight is Born, A Dream Realized

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything like that, so there. Anyway, here we go with chapter 2.

A/N: Well, like last time, I'll give you the "Digimon" that make an appearance in this chapter, like before, there are more to come.

Takato: He dresses like Gallantmon when in his armor.

Alphonse: Alphamon

General Omid: Omnimon

Chapter 2: A Knight is Born, A Dream Realized

_Ten Years after Takato was born:_

Takato Matsuki, who was the son of the village's baker, looked in awe as he watched the spectacle in front of him. His father had taken him on a special delivery today, he was giving countless baked goods to a battalion of King Katou's knights who happened to be garrisoned near his village. His eyes glistened in admiration as he stood outside the fence of the knight's training ring. Two men where sparing inside the arena, as steel met steel, the sound made by their weapons clashing made a very big impression on the lad, slowly but surely giving the boy a deep conviction that would affect the rest of his life. His father walked up, after successfully making the delivery and noticed how enthralled his son was with the knights that where around the camp.

"Daddy, who are these people? They're cool!" Takato innocently asked as he pointed with his right arm towards the knights in arena. When he pointed, one could see a tattoo like marking that looked like a red dragon whose tail was wrapped around the base of this thumb and spiraled up from his hand to just past his elbow.

"_That mark has been growing as he has…it's strange. No one knows how he got it either…"_ His father thought to himself as he saw the mysterious mark on his son's arm.

"Dad?" His son interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to reality.

"Hmm? Oh, these are the king's knights, Takato. They are strong, brave, and valiant, they're always there to help those who need it most." His father smiled as he rubbed his son's hair in a loving manner.

"Whoa, really? That makes them even cooler. I want to be one when I grow up. Is that okay?" the boy asked with an expression of both wonder and longing on his face. His father knelt down and placed his son on his shoulders.

"You know what, Takato? You can be whatever you put your heart to. I'll be proud of you, no matter what you grow up to be." His father assured his son as they walked back towards their village.

_Current time-Two weeks before the curse is complete (Seven years after the previous event in the chapter):_

Takato, now seventeen years old, sat on his bed as he put on his armor. He had a white chest plate, gauntlets, shin and thigh guards, red knee guards, and greaves. He also wore a flowing, red cape to accent the red on his armor. Instead of living in home village, he was now a resident of the kingdom's knight academy, and today was the day for graduation, it was also his seventeenth birthday, but that wasn't too important to him right now, he'd celebrate it properly when he went back home. He hadn't put all his armor on yet, just his lower half, his mind was distracted by several thoughts, he had finally accomplished his dream. He would soon be a knight. He heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" The sandy blonde youth questioned, startled being as his track of thought was interrupted.

"It's Alphonse. I'm just here to remind you that the ceremony is set for noon, you've got about an hour left before you need to make it to the courtyard." The friendly voice came through the door. Alphonse was Takato's friend from the academy, he had actually graduated two years prior and had already climbed up in the ranks, but they still stayed in contact with one another. He had rich, wavy silver hair and green eyes. He wore black armor accented by gold trimming and a white cape. His weapon of choice was the Gradalpha Sword, a very large, formidable broad sword that he could wield with ease. He was also familiar with the use of magic.

"Oh, thank you, sir. Don't worry, I'll be there in time." Takato smiled as he brought up his gauntlet on his right arm. The mark that had been with him all his life now had grown to where the dragon's head was resting on his top of his shoulder. People, especially the other knights his age, thought it was a good looking tattoo and often inquired as to where he got it, but he'd just laugh and say that he had no idea, and that he was born with it. He then finished placing the rest of his armor on, and finally his helmet, which was white for the most part, but it had a dragon-themed visor which was red. He then stood up and left his quarters, grabbed his weapons, which he named, like most knights do with their weapons, the Gram lance and the Aegis shield and began to make his way towards the courtyard, where the ceremony would begin. As he walked down the hallway, he saw a figure approaching him. It was General Omid, he wore white armor but wore unique gauntlets, on his left was a golden dragon themed gauntlet, and on his right was a blue, wolf themed gauntlet. Takato gave a salute to his passing superior, "Good afternoon, General."

"Good afternoon, Takato. Congratulations on graduating, I'm looking forward to seeing what you're capable of as a new knight for his Majesty, King Katou." The man spoke as he placed his hand on Takato's shoulder. "I'll be presiding over the ceremony, don't worry, I'll try and make things as smooth as possible." Omid then continued down the hall to his own destination. But before he took too many steps, he stopped, "Oh, by they way, happy birth day."

"Thanks, General. Well, I guess I'd better be off." With that the young man hurried to where **he** needed to be. He arrived in the courtyard, where there where about five other knights who would be graduating as well, he didn't really know who they were, being as they were from different battalions. He did notice something that caught his eye though, the King was here. He was standing at the top of a flight of stairs that led to the courtyard, there was someone else with him. A girl…she was about his age, from what he could tell. She had long, brunette hair, she was wearing a forest green dress, and had a graceful complexion. The king then walked down the stairs, the young lady following close behind. He stopped right in front of Takato and smiled. Takato, panicked, being as he had almost forgotten his manners, and quickly bowed.

"_Great…so much for first impressions…oh boy…"_ The young man reprimanded himself.

"Rise, young knight…there's no need to fret. I'm just here to meet the recruits that General Omid has recommended from this academy. I am King Katou, and to whom do I owe the pleasure?"

"Thank you, you're majesty. I'm Takato Matsuki, son of Isamu of the Rojale village." The knight answered energetically, relieved that he didn't make a blunder in front of his majesty.

"Well, Takato, it's a pleasure to meet you. This is my daughter, Princess Jeri." The king pointed to his daughter, who was the young lady Takato had noticed earlier.

"How do you do, Sir Takato?" The princess graciously curtsied, to which Takato mirrored with a bow, as the two raised their heads up from their show of respect to one another, their eyes met. He noticed she had very beautiful, amber eyes, soft and full of grace.

"Hi." Takato goofily spoke; not realizing that he had been drawn to her eyes, there was something about them that intrigued him.

Jeri gave a small giggle, "Hello, sir knight. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thank you, milady." The young man, shook his head nervously, smiled and bowed again, but he mentally smacked himself in his face for acting so strangely, and in front of royalty, no less. She returned his gesture by giving a quick curtsy and following her father to inspect the rest of the knights present. _"Uh…what happened back there…what was I thinking? 'Hi'? Heh, good one, Takato."_ He continued to think to himself as the rest of the inspection drew to a close. The ceremony began not long afterwards, and, true to his word, General Omid did oversee the ceremony, save the knighting itself, which was done by the king. One by one, the knights where sworn in, and finally, it was his turn. He walked up to the king and bowed to one knee.

The king held out his scepter and placed it on the youth's right shoulder, "Takato, state you're life's oath, in presence of lord and land."

"I, Takato of Rojale, do hereby swear my allegiance to my King, my homeland, and her people, to honor her laws, to protect her people, and to defend her crown. I will be a bane to evil, a weapon for righteousness, a servant to my king and a shield to the nation. I do swear, my lord King, upon pain of death, I shall hold my vows to you, as long as I live." Takato solemnly spoke.

The king lifted his scepter, "Takato Matsuki of Rojale, by the power invested in me by the crown, I do name thee a knight of the kingdom. Congratulations, lad, you may rise."

"Thank you, your majesty. By your leave, milord." With that, Takato returned to the bottom of the stairs and the rest of the ceremony went by and was finally completed. He had finally done it, he was a knight, the imagry of valor that he had so long dreamed to become..

A/N: Well, Takato's dream has come true, but the time of the curse is dangerously close. What will happen when it comes in? Find out by reading the next chapter, and please do review, I would really appreciate some reviews.


	3. 3:  The Curse Unleashed, Megiddo Rises

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any of its characters, however this story is my idea, so don't use it.

A/N: Well, here's chapter 3 for all those who want to read it. It may be a little longer than usual, but it should be fine, lol. Takato is heading for home, one problem...the time for the curse draws near. What will happen? Well, read on and find out, lol. Oh, and please, review as well :-D:

Chapter 3: The Curse Unleashed, Megiddo Rises

_One week after the Knighting Ceremony (One week before the curse is Complete):_

Takato couldn't wait, he was going to go back to his home village to tell his family and friends that he had finally become a knight for the kingdom and spend a few days there before he was placed on actual duty. He began to pack his belongings that would be necessary for the few days that the trip would take just to get to the village, plus what would be needed once he got there. He finally finished and made his way to the exit of the camp. He wasn't wearing his armor, instead he was in his tunic, a navy shirt with sky blue sleeves and tan pants, he figured he wouldn't need them while he was off duty, so he just stored them away in his quarters. Takato did, however, decide to bring his Gram lance, just in case he should need it while on his journey, he never knew if a would-be bandit would be unlucky as to attack him, or some poor animal would mistaken him for their next meal. It was arm-mounted, making it awkward to carry for most, but he had made a unique satchel like carrier for it that easily slung across his back.

After he finished packing and made his way to the information center of the academy. He walked up to his other friend and fellow warrior, Ryo Aikyama "Hello, Ryo, is Alphonse still here? I'd like to say bye before I left for my trip home."

"Alphonse? Let me see…no, according to my documents, he left on a mission just after the graduation ceremony, sorry. Hey, it does say that he went in the direction of your village, it doesn't say where he was headed or why, but maybe you'll run into him." The spiky-brown haired warrior tried to cheer up his friend after he looked through his mission logs, he was one of the few who kept track of them, although he was only given the "necessary" info, as it would seem.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Thanks anyway. I'll be back in about two weeks." Takato waved as he exited through the academy's large, elaborate doors. Inside his mind though, he knew it was unlikely he'd see Alphonse, he was the kind of high-ranking knight that took on special missions that only he could do and often worked secretively, alone and would often disappear for months at a time. He pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind and pointed his feet homeward. He was going home, even if for a little while.

_One week later (27 hours before the curse is complete):_

He was almost home now, but there was still about half a day's journey left, so he decided to camp for the night being the idea of continuing on at night didn't really appeal to him, he might draw attention from…questionable spectators. He settled down and fell to sleep in a cot that he had made under a nearby tree. Sometime far past midnight, Takato woke up in a cold sweat. His right arm was racked with pain, it felt as though it was on fire, literally…and he didn't know why. He rubbed it in an attempt to relieve some of the pain, but it didn't work, it actually made it sting on top of everything else, especially the places where the mark was on his arm. He then painfully looked at the sky from where he slept, judging by what he saw; he could guess it was about six in the morning (_18 hours left_), his eyes then passed by the moon as it approached the horizon, it was in the final stages of being a waning crescent, with a sliver so small that it looked like a fingernail.

"Hmm…looks like it'll be a new moon the next time it's in the sky." He thought to himself. Then he got up and gathered his things and continued towards his village. He traveled the good distance between where he camped and his village.

After several hours of traveling, he had finally made it at about six in the evening, he was home (_6 hours remain_). He walked to his parent's house and knocked on the door. His mother answered it.

"T-Takato?" She questioned in shock as she got a good look at her son.

"Yeah, mom, long time no see." The young man gave his mom a hug.

"Isamu, Takato's home!" Aimi exclaimed in joy, her husband came running through the hallway to see if it was true.

"Takato, hello son. My, have you grown! You're as big as me now!" His father beamed with excitement as he gave Takato a stern pat on his right arm, causing the young man to wince in pain, his arm was still hurting, to be honest, it was even worse than when he had woken up earlier today.

"Hey dad, yup, I guess I am." The teen laughed at his father's enthusiasm and almost rubbed his arm, but caught himself as he remembered that it only made things worse when he did.

"Are you alright, Takato? You don't look okay…" His mother asked as she noticed how her son was acting, quick looks of pain that flew across his face.

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine mom…thanks." Takato reaffirmed his statement by giving a cheerful smile.

"Okay, well, what gave you the mind to travel all the way here from the capital?" His mother asked.

"Oh, no reason in particular, just to tell you that I'm…officially…a knight for the kingdom." Takato gave a very big grin.

"What? You mean you've graduated? Fantastic son, I couldn't be more proud of you!" Isamu rubbed his son's messy hair, like he used to when the teen was a boy.

"H-hey, cut it out, dad." Takato laughed as he straightened his hair back to its original messed up form.

"Well, you're in luck, I just finished making dinner, would you come and join us?" His mother smiled.

"Yeah, I will. It's been a long time since I've had any cooking that comes close to yours, mom. Oh, is it alright if I stay with you two for a few days. I want to spend some time with you before I go on duty." Takato politely questioned.

"Of course you can, son. You'll always be welcome home." His father jovially spoke as he ushered the boy inside. They had dinner and talked about one another's lives and what had been going on as they hadn't seen one another for years due to Takato's training.

_6 hours later (By now you get the point, right? Only a few minutes left before the cures is released)_

Takato tossed and turned in his bed, he couldn't sleep. His arm hurt like crazy and it had only gotten worse as the day went by. He started to not feel so good everywhere else as well, for that matter. He felt warm, so he used his left arm to check his forehead, being as his right arm hurt too much to move. He had a slight fever, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He figured that maybe some fresh air would do him some good. He slipped on some clothes walked outside, from what he could tell, it was more or less midnight. He then looked for the moon, he found it, like he guessed last night, it was a new moon. It was a mere silhouette of its luminous face, he was only able to see it because the shadow cast upon it was lightly darker than the blanket of sky surrounding it.

Once he noticed this, his eyes tensed and his entire body began to writhe in pain that he had never felt before. He began to scream in anguish because of this inhuman pain. His parents came running outside after hearing their son scream and his mother gasped. Their son was lying on the ground flailing about in a tortured manner. His father noticed that the marking on Takato's right arm was glowing a sinister shade of red, the likes of which he had never seen before. All of a sudden, the teen stopped flailing, the then slowly stood up, his head looking towards the ground.

His mother ran to him, "Takato, are you alright?" She stopped right in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. He was breathing heavily and was covered in sweat. He then began to lift his head, when he faced his mother, she gasped. "Takato, your eyes! What's happening to you?" His eyes had changed, the were no longer caramel, but his entire eye was black with red, reptile like slits as irises.

"Heh-heh, Takato isn't here right now…**mom**…" The voice that came from Takato's mouth was sinister, dark, and cold, the exact opposite of his usual, cheerful, pleasant voice.

"Honey, get out of the way, that isn't our son!" Isamu exclaimed as he pulled his wife away from the person.

"Very clever, you're correct…ugh…I…am….**rrraaaagghh!!!!**" The voice spoke, but as he did, he summoned a pillar of fire that spun around Takato, or at least his body. When the fire died down, instead of Takato, there was a large, menacing, red dragon with cold, heartless eyes and vicious fangs and claws. "I am…Megiddo…" The monster spoke as he gave a sick, twisted grin.

A/N: Oh boy...Megiddo has come. This can't be good...what will happen? Will Takato be alright? Find out by reading, and make sure you review.


	4. Chapter 4:  A Dark Night

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything like that, please don't remind me, lol. This story is my idea though, so don't use it.

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter, let me know how I'm doing by reviewing, okay? Anyway, here you go, enjoy:

Chapter 4: A Dark Night

_Village of Rojale-12:10am_

Takato's parents watched in horror as their only son became a large, monstrous, red dragon. He glared at them with his large, evil, cruel eyes. The dark dragon gave a sinister grin, revealing his large, sharp fangs.

"I…am…Megiddo." The dragon spoke with a dark, vile voice that bore no resemblance to Takato's. The monster then flicked his tail at the couple, wrapped them up, and drew them close. "Who better to be my first victims…than those who raised me? Ha-ha-ha!" The monster snarled as he opened his large mouth, ready to devour them. For some reason, he stopped though, his eyes tensed in shock as he noticed the woman crying…he began to hear an angry voice in his head. He then began to howl and snarl in pain.

"No! You won't eat them! I…won't…LET YOU!" Megiddo spoke as he thrashed his head around in anguish…the voice coming from his mouth wasn't his, but Takato's.

"Kssk…You have no power over me…boy!" Megiddo snarled, this time in his cruel tone.

"This is **my** body! I said NO!" The monster yelled, once again using Takato's voice, as the dragon's body began to tremble violently. His father noticed that whenever Takato's voice was present, the monster's eyes became caramel in color and gentle, and when Megiddo's voice was in use, his eyes where blood red and filled with rage.

"Takato, if you can hear me, you've got to fight this. It isn't you!" His father began to yell, tears pouring from his eyes. The dragon gave him and his wife a stoic expression, apparently confused and torn, one half wanted to silence him permanently, while the other wanted to set them down and run away in shame. He shook his head, then glared at the man and his wife.

"Silence, fool!" The dragon spoke, in Megiddo's dark voice. The dragon's red eyes then began to glow, emitting a dark purple color. The couple then fell asleep, the dragon then threw them into a nearby hay stack, spread his large, imposing wings, and took flight.

"W-what did you do to them?!?" Takato screamed from within the shadows of the dragons conscience.

"I merely wiped their memory with a spell. Consider yourself lucky…now, away with you…**RAH!!!**" The vicious dragon roared as he shoved Takato into the darkest depths of his subconscious. "_Heh, that should take care of him until dawn, at least. Rrr…he had more control that I thought possible…he earned some credit for that, I guess I'll spare his parents…for now."_ The dragon thought to himself as he flew down into the village below him, bent on destruction. The villagers fled in fear of the mighty beast of evil, they had no means of fighting back. He soared through the little hamlet for several hours of the night, leaving every now and then for a little bit to take a breather, then returning to ignite his terror of fire and brimstone, purposefully missing the location of Takato's parents, to honor the lad's brave fight for control. This continued on for several hours.

_Alphonse's POV, village outskirts, 5:30am (Forty-five minutes till dawn):_

Alphonse, class 'S' knight for the kingdom of Leoniré, while walking back towards home from his mission to secure a disputed boarder, had spotted a few people running in a frenzy towards him, screaming and panicking. As they approached, the knight hailed the distressed people.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you alright?" He inquired as he noticed that some of them where soot covered and had singed clothes.

"Please help us, sir knight…our village is under attack by a terrible dragon. We are merely peasant folk and bear no arms to defend ourselves…it's the village of Rojale. Please, save our village!" A man who looked like a farmer implored as he bowed at the feet the black-clad, silver haired knight.

"Rojale? Alright, I'm on it, you all find some safety…" Alphonse comforted the people as he dashed off towards the village. "_A dragon…I have to stop it…_" The young man thought resolutely as he placed his helmet on as he ran and leaped high into the air, disappearing into the night.

_Back at the village-5:50am (twenty-five minutes till dawn):_

Megiddo continued to rage on, destroying most that came in his way with his flaming breath and vicious claws. For some reason though, he had only ended the lives of a few people…he almost always hesitated just before he attacked someone…he reasoned that, even though sealed away in his mind, Takato still had some awareness of what was going on…it was somewhat irritating to the beast. He then circled high into the sky, preparing to perform another sweep over the village. Just as he built up flame in his mouth, he was hit by a green of energy that felt as cold as ice to the creature, causing him to plummet. The monster saved himself in the nick of time, landing on all fours.

"Rrrg…who is the fool who dares to challenge me?" The dragon snarled as he looked for the person who summoned the magic spell. He found it…his eyes tensed as the figure silhouetted by the starlight was familiar, at least to Takato, who rested within his mind. It was a black night, a large sword in his right hand, his left hand glowing with a greenish aura, confirming it was him who used the spell.

"I, Alphonse, dare to, dragon." The knight spoke, a strong inflection in his voice. He readied his Gradalpha sword to attack.

"Insolent warrior! You have no idea what you are up against, pitiful knight!" Megiddo hissed as he poised himself to attack as well.

"Heh, I honestly don't think you have a clue either…it appears as though I have no choice but to pull out the stops, being as you've caused so much destruction..." Alphonse solemnly spoke as he began to lace his weapon with the same magic that he had cast in a beam form earlier. The dragon's eyes became filled with hatred and contempt as he waited for the knight's next move.

A/N: Huh...how could this happen? Oh boy, the classic Knight vs. Dragon scene is coming up...hope you're ready for it...poor Takato...shoved into the dark recesses of Megiddo's mind. Now he has no choice but to fight his friend...oh boy...the tempo's definitely gonna pick up...let me know what you think of this chapter by reviewing, please?


	5. Chapter 5:  Hope Cometh by Morning

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything of that nature, and please don't remind me (because I so badly wish that I did, lol). Anwyay, here's chapter 5, and I hope you all enjoy it. Please don't forget to review, okay?

A/N: Well, this should be an...interesting chater to say the least, lol. Oh, and I am hosting a challenge, if you are interested, see my profile for details :-P, anyay, here we go:

Chapter 5: Hope Cometh by Morning

_Village of Rojale,_ _5:55am (20 minutes till dawn):_

Megiddo stared the daring knight, Alphonse in the eyes, trying to measure him up. He could tell just by the way he carried himself the warrior was no pushover, but he figured he could handle him. He spread his wings and charged towards Alphonse, who was standing on a rooftop. The knight just gave a powerful swing of his magically powered sword, creating an arc of energy that flew towards Megiddo, who flew straight upwards to dodge it.

"Rrrg…cheap tricks won't work on me." The terrible dragon snarled as he dove towards the knight, who again slashed at him, creating another arc. This time though, the dragon let loose his flaming breath, which blew up the arc and continued flying towards him. Alphonse, not having too much time to react, relied on his warrior's instincts to guide his reflexes instead…he dodged the monster's vicious claws as they slashed down by flipping above him. Alphonse landed behind the dragon and launched another one of his green energy bolts, hitting the beast. With a loud roar of disgust, the dragon whipped his tail, hitting the knight in the gut and sending him flying into a nearby home. The black armored knight stood up and shook his head to remove some of the cobwebs from his head. He then jumped out through the hole his body had made when it crashed into the roof. He looked around for the dragon, but he was no where to be found…he then felt a strong gust of wind coming from above him, he looked up and saw that Megiddo was above him, flames developing in his mouth.

"_This is bad…not sure if I have time…"_ Alphonse thought to himself as Megiddo unleashed his flaming breath. The flames reached Alphonse, and when the flames dissipated, there was nothing there, Megiddo smiled.

"See? You stood no chance, fool." He confidently growled as he observed the scene before him. What he didn't notice was that Alphonse had used his magic to teleport himself out of harm's way at the last second.

"Don't be so sure of yourself, dragon!" A voice spoke from above him. The dragon quickly looked up on response as he saw the knight he thought he incinerated; there wasn't even a singe on him. He didn't have time to think about it as Alphonse fell past him, giving a powerful slash to his front left leg, leaving a deep cut, he then slashed again at the beast's chest, this time only grazing it, but it did sting, he could tell by Megiddo's reaction. The knight then gracefully landed and waited to see what the dragon would do next.

Megiddo gave a quick glance towards the horizon, he knew he didn't have much time left until dawn, about five minutes and then he would have to revert back to Takato. "Rrrg…you win this time, knight." Megiddo snarled as he loosed his flaming breath again. As the flames roared in front of the knight, he hastily flew away towards a group of nearby mountains to the west.

"Wait, get back here!" Alphonse commanded as he attempted to follow, but the quick burst of flames stopped his advance. He then swung his mighty Gradalpha, causing the flames to dissipate, he then gave chase to the monster. _"Darn it…I'll never catch him at this rate…he's too far ahead."_ He angrily thought to himself as he saw only a small silhouette of Megiddo in the horizon heading towards the mountains. He didn't give up on the chase though as he picked up his pace.

_Mount Corona, 6:14am (one minute until sunrise):_

Megiddo weakly landed on the side of the mountain, and slowly crawled his way to a secluded area…he was losing strength and fast. As he finally made to the hidden spot, he wrapped his wings around himself and hid his body, he quietly became Takato again, the last things to go where his dragon wings as they disappeared into his back. The mark then rewrapped itself around the teen's right arm and stopped glowing, the only clothing Takato had was his pants. They were torn off from the knee down and where very tattered, he weakly walked towards the entrance of the crevice and looked tiredly towards his village.

"What…happened…?" He mumbled as he fell down due to exhaustion and passed out. About fifteen minutes later, Alphonse arrived at the mountain he saw the dragon flee to. He began to look around, trying to find any clue of the monster, but to his surprise, he found a person.

"Takato?!?" Alphonse questioned in concern when he saw who it was and what shape he was in. He quickly rushed over to help his fellow knight, dropping his search for Megiddo. He inspected the youth's body, he found a fresh, deep wound on his left arm, it appeared to be done by a blade, or maybe a claw. He had also discovered a smaller, less grave cut across his friend's chest, it appeared to be done by whatever had given him the cut on his arm as well, from what he observed….in the back of his mind though, he felt something was amiss, he couldn't quite explain what it was though. Not wasting time in thought though, Alphonse waved his hands over the wounds, and they were healed, leaving only scars in their place. _"What was he doing up here? Did he run into that dragon? He should be alright though…but I've got to get him back to what's left of the village, where he can be properly cared for and tend to the villagers."_ Alphonse resolutely thought as he wrapped his white cape around his friend to create a shield from the cold morning air and hoisted him over his shoulder. The knight then carried his friend back towards Rojale. _"Man…poor Takato…I can only imagine how he'll feel when he wakes up to see what that…__**monster**__ has done. It's going to be rough…"_ He sighed to himself as he progressed. The village definitely wasn't in good shape. Little did the knight notice, but on the same mountain that he had found Takato on, there was a familiar, old wizard standing on the peak.

"Hmm...interesting, Megiddo...now that you have transformed, I expect to see more of you...there's more ways to call you out than the new moon since you have awakened, he-he. See you soon, Takato, we will meet again, very soon." Barbatos gave a low laugh as he dissapeared in a poof of dark smoke.

A/N: Megiddo rests now that dawn has come. How will Takato react when he is given the news? What does Barbatos have in mind, now that he's seen what Megiddo is capable of? Find out, lol. Be sure to review too, okay?


	6. Chapter 6:  Peace after Chaos

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, I'd like to, but I don't, lol.

A/N: I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates, I've just had a crazy few weeks, first I was too busy, then I had no motivation, then just as soon as it strikes, I got hit with the flu, motivation gone, lol. Oh well, I just now got feeling better, so here we go, lol. Hope you enjoy, let me know by reviewing, okay? Oh, and I'm holding a competition, for those who are interested, see my profile for details:

Chapter 6: Peace after Chaos

_Rojale, 6:50am (28 days till next full moon)_

Alphonse carried Takato back to the village and put the youth back in his home, which remained intact, despite Megiddo's attack, not much later he found Takato's parents and put them in the house as well. After he made sure they were okay the knight rounds to check the wounded and tend to them.

"_This is terrible…so much destruction…these poor people, I'll have to inform the King as soon as I get back."_ The silver haired warrior thought as he healed another beleaguered villager. When he finally finished, it was about three o'clock in the afternoon, he was weary from using his healing spells a large portion of the day, but he was alright. The knight made his way back to Takato's house to check on his friend and his family, they were okay…they were asleep still.

Not long after Alphonse returned, Takato began to stir, "Ugn…whoa…I feel dizzy." The sandy blonde youth held his forehead and rubbed it to soothe the headache he was having.

"Easy there, Takato…you were pretty banged up." His friend cautioned as he helped Takato sit up.

"Ow…I sure feel like I was…but by what?" Takato inquired as he stretched to work out the pain in his body.

"Huh? You mean you don't know how you got like that? Maybe you got hit on the head?" Alphonse gave a quizzical look as he scanned the cranium of his comrade. "Well, that's odd, no sign of physical trauma…maybe mental? What do you remember?"

"Well…the last thing I recall, was feeling really sore and sick…my arm hurt like crazy…that's about all I remember." Takato spoke as he searched through his hazed mind.

"Hmm…your arm, you say? Which one?" The black knight inquired.

"It was my right arm."

"How does it feel now? May I see it?"

"It feels fine now…here." Takato complied as he let Alphonse lift his arm to inspect it.

"Well, it looks alright to me…nothing out of the ordinary. We'll have a professional check it out when we get back to the Capital, just to make sure." His friend concluded as he let his friend have his arm back. Just then, Takato's parent's woke up, they too seemed a little dazed.

"What's going on here, who are you?" Isamu yawned as he noticed the unfamiliar face of Alphonse.

"I apologize, Mr. Matsuki, I'm Alphonse Narmolanya, Shadow Forces Knight of his Majesty's 21st battalion." Takato's friend politely bowed.

"Well met, Alphonse…what brings you here?" Isamu returned the gesture by bowing himself.

"You're village was attacked by a dragon, it appears as though it has retreated for now though." Alphonse spoke with a serious tone in his voice.

"What? That can't be…" Takato stood up in shock, he then rushed out the door and fell on his knees; he was appalled at the sight before him. "It…it can't be…how?" The cried as he saw his village in ruins…it was hard for him.

"There, there Takato…this can be fixed, the King is a generous man, I'm certain he would be more than willing to restore your home to the tranquility it once bore." Alphonse assured his distraught friend as he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You're right…we have to let him know what happened here. Dragon's are almost never good…let's hurry and head back." Takato solemnly spoke as he clenched his fist in frustration.

"Of course, everything that can be done right now has been handled; we can leave whenever you're up to it, my friend." Alphonse nodded in agreement.

"Right then, let's go ahead and leave at the first sign of dawn, the sooner we get home, the better." Takato sighed as he walked back into the house.

"You're welcome to stay here for the night, Sir Alphonse, we'd be more than happy to accommodate you." Aimi cheerily smiled.

"You're too kind, madam. Thank you." The knight graciously bowed before he walked into the house. There the two warriors stayed and rested their weary bodies for the return trip.

_Village of Rojale, 6:17am (27days till next new moon)_

The two warriors woke up and bid farewell to Takato's parents and left. The trip went relatively quietly, being that they were focused on making it back to the Capital. After a week of traveling, they had made it to their destination and made their way to their quarters, Takato's in the east corridors of the campus and Alphonse went towards the castle to the north.

_Luminon, Capital of Leoniré, 7:30 am-the day after they returned (20 days till next full moon)_

Takato woke up and resumed his usual routines of soldier life. He put on his clothes and made his way to the mess hall. As he left his quarters he ran by the campus's mail office to see if he had any messages.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Matsuki, you just received a message last night. It's very important, from the King himself, by the looks of things." The service lady smiled as she handed the young man his mail.

"Thank you…_The King? I wonder what he could want…hmm…"_ Takato pondered as he walked into the mess hall, got some food and sat down to eat. He then opened the letter and began to read:

"_Sir Takato,_

_I request your presence at the palace, I will personally assign you to your first mission, please come as soon as you can. I wish to inform you that Alphonse notified me of the misfortune that has befallen your hamlet. You have my sincerest condolences for you, your family, and your village. Rest assured I will do everything in my power to restore your home back to normal._

_His Majesty,_

_King Katou"_

"_What?!? He'll __**personally**__ assign me? I wonder what it could be…must be pretty important. Why me though? Surely Alphonse or General Omid would be much better choices…shouldn't worry about it though? I'm sure he has a reason for picking me. Heh, Alphonse, always looking out for me, I'll have to be sure to return the favor to him."_ Takato laughed inwardly as he finished eating.

A/N: What is the King's assignment for our young hero? Megiddo rests, but for how long? Find out, lol. Oh, and don't forget to review, and if you're at least interested in the competition, let me know when you review, if you please?

KBMP, over and out.


	7. Chapter 7:  A Strange Twist of Fate

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, however this story is my idea, so don't use it.

A/N: Phew...sorry I'm so late. I've just been REALLY busy. I'm so sorry about that. Anyway, I hope you all will enjoy this chapter, I worked hard on it. Now, please do enjoy and don't forget to review, even if you want to yell at me for being so late. On we go:

Chapter 7: A Strange Twist of Fate

_Luminon, 8:00 AM_

Takato quickly finished eating and made his way back to his quarters so he could make himself presentable before he left for the palace. He put on his standard soldier's uniform, a red tunic with black sleeves and black pants and straightened his hair and left for the royal section of the city, where the palace was. After a few minutes of walking, he made it to the palace gates.

"You there, state your business!" A guardsman commanded as he noticed the young man walking up to the gate.

"I've been summoned by the king. Please let me in." Takato replied as he showed the guard his letter.

"The king's insignia? Alright…very well then, follow me, lad." The slightly older young man turned around and made his way to the main door of the castle.

"_Now, where does he go off calling me 'lad'?!? I swear…some people get such big heads…"_ Takato ranted a little in his mind as he followed the man, but he didn't let it get to him too badly though. After entering the castle they walked through the many corridors of the building. It was indeed grand, elaborately carved woodworks, beautiful paintings, and just about the finest of anything Takato could dream of.

"Here we are…the throne room." The guard notified as he opened the door. "Your majesty, you have a guest." He announced as he bowed.

"Wonderful, do send him in, Kazu." The king politely spoke as he waved the two young men in. "Ah, Sir Takato, welcome. Please, do take a seat." The monarch motioned one of his royal tenders to offer Takato a seat, who took it after thanking the servant.

"Thank you, your majesty." Takato bowed his head to show his gratitude.

"Oh, think nothing of it boy. After all, we do have some business to take care of, don't we? There is the matter of your first mission." King Katou laughed.

"Yes, of course, sire."

"Alright, down to business: Takato Matsuki…Age…17…home village, Rojale…son of baker Isamu Matsuki and his wife Aimi. You're classified as tactical infantry **and** second grade cavalry. Ah, you're also currently going through more training to become a field lieutenant…I see. Well, General Omid has told me that you passed your training courses with flying colors and from the reports I've read on you, I've learned that terms of fighting you specialize in close quarters disarming tactics…you are a lance-man by trade and are quite handy with your Aegis shield. Also, when deprived of your weapons you seem to prefer Greco style wrestling above anything else and seem to have an affinity for fire-based magic, but haven't quite mastered it just yet…hmm…from what the General has seen from you, he said that you would definitely be a strong candidate for the Shadow Forces, like your friend Sir Alphonse if you chose to join…that's quite the résumé, boy." The king gave Takato an inspecting look.

"T-thank you, your highness…I'm honored that you and the general hold me in such high regards. If you don't mind me asking…how did you pull up so much information on me?" Takato softly spoke…he didn't want to seem over-stepping his bounds.

"Lad, I'm the King…I need to know who it is I have under my service…especially with the task I'm about to issue to you. You are to be my daughter's escort." The lord laughed a little.

"M-me, sire? Are you sure? I mean…surely there's someone more qualified than myself…" Takato was shocked…this was a pretty big deal, King Katou laughed though, interrupting the boy.

"Nonsense, Takato. You're very capable despite your age, plus the General recommended you himself, and more importantly the Princess asked for **you** specifically."

"She…did?" Takato shyly questioned, a slight blush came across his face as he remembered the rush of emotions that came over him when he met the Princess for the first time a little while back.

"Yes, on the grounds that she liked the way you carried yourself." The king smiled as he continued to inspect the young man. "It won't be anything too hard…you'll be accompanying her throughout the day and making sure she's safe. We'll give you quarters in the palace within a reasonable distance from the Princess's own room and supply your daily needs."

"I see…well, your majesty, I accept. Thank you for giving me such the high duty of protecting your daughter. I will lay down my life if need be to fulfill my mandate." Takato stood up and saluted after thinking the job through…if the king trusted him, there was no reason for him to say no.

"I seriously doubt it will have to come to that, but I do appreciate the devotion. Now, if you follow this kind gentleman here and he will take you to your quarters. Kenta, show him to the room that's on the opposite end of the Princess's hallway."

"Right away, sire. Now, if you please follow me, sir knight." The tenant bowed and began to lead Takato up towards his assigned quarters. After a little bit of walking, they finally reached his new room. "Now, the Princess's room is just down the hall, and there are tenants on every floor so do feel free to let us know if you need anything. A few servants should be here momentarily with your belongings."

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind." Takato waved good-bye as the servant left. _"Whoa…an escort for the princess…that's pretty big. The king's right though…I should be ready."_ Just as he was about to make himself at home, he heard a knock on the door.

"May I come in, sir knight?" A young feminine voice inquired beyond the door.

"It's alright." The young man spoke up. The door opened, revealing, to Takato's surprise, Princess Jeri.

"Oh, sir Takato…so daddy did recruit you. Thank goodness, you seem much nicer than the others." The fair lady smiled as she gave a curtsy.

"Um…thank you, princess. I live to serve." Takato bowed, this time he was sure to remember his manners.

"You're welcome. I'm looking forward to having you around, now be sure to rest up, because tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I'm going to make a trip to the market."

"Um…as you wish, my lady." The young knight was a bit taken back by the energy of the girl, but he couldn't resist her charms, so he didn't say a word…and deep down, he didn't mind the notion at all.

"Wonderful. Well, welcome to the palace. If you do well, daddy might make this your actual job, so good luck." Jeri winked as she exited the room.

"Hm…I wonder if that would be such a bad idea…" Takato snickered as the blush began to crawl back on his face.

A/N: Takato's very first mission, be Jeri's bodyguard, lol. Well, how will this turn out? Read on and find out, of course, lol. Don't forget to review :D.

KBMP


	8. Chapter 8: A Bad Omen?

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon in any way, shape, or form, but this story is my idea, so please don't use it, okay?

A/N: Hey all, I'm back, sorry I took so long, I just had no spark for this, but last night I was hit with the strongest urge to update, so here I am, lol. I would like to apologize for not updating in a timely manner...can you forgive me? Anyway, please do enjoy and remember to review, okay:

Chapter 8: A Bad Omen?

_Luminon, 9:00 AM the next day (19 days till next full moon):_

Takato woke up the next day and stretched his sleep-worn body. He then looked around and smiled, that was one of the best sleeps he had ever had. _"Man, this is a nice bed, what's it stuffed with?"_ Takato questioned as he looked through one of the holes in the siding of the bed and saw white, fluffy material. _"Wool, huh? Nice, much better than the hay filled mattresses we get at the academy."_ The young knight laughed as he began to get dressed. He had put on his pants and just put his shirt over his head when the door opened, it was the princess.

"Oh, pardon me, sir Takato…" She stopped when she saw that Takato was up and immediately turned around when she noticed that his defined torso was exposed, being as his tunic wasn't pulled down all the way.

"Ack, princess…I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" The sandy blonde stammered as he quickly pulled his shirt over himself.

"It's okay, I should have knocked, I was actually hoping to catch you asleep so I could wake you up myself." The princess giggled a little when she turned around to face Takato, her face had a slight blush on it.

"No, it's my bad, I need to wake up earlier so I can perform my duties better." Takato let out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. A few moments of awkward silence passed between the two, but Takato broke the silence, "Um…well, good morning princess, how are you?" He bowed.

"Good morning to you too, I'm fine. So, how did you sleep in your first night at the castle?" She inquired.

"Well, great, to be honest. Wool mattresses are much better than those filled with hay and straw." Takato laughed.

"I would say so. So, do you want to grab breakfast in the mess hall before we go to the market?" Jeri smiled.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a second, I need to do my morning warm-ups." The knight nodded as he began to stretch.

"Warm-ups?" The princess raised her eyebrow in curiosity.

"Yeah, at the academy, we're expected to perform some kind of workout every morning, I do twenty-five push ups and the same amount of sit ups."

"I see, do mind if I watch? I don't see much of our knights, and as such I have no idea of what their daily lives consist of, up until I met you, I imagined them not much more than brutes." The princess politely asked as she giggled a little bit, to which Takato gave a shocked look, he never had a spectator before.

"Um…sure, it wouldn't hurt anything." He let out a nervous laugh as he dropped to the ground and began to perform his push ups. Jerri watched as he lifted his body off the ground and let it back down.

"_He has such a kind spirit and yet he's so strong. The only other man I know of that's like that is my father. Oh look at me…I'm being silly."_ Jerri laughed in her head as he blushed a little at catching herself watching Takato's biceps conform and change to Takato's exercise. As she continued to watch though, she noticed that there was a marking on Takato's right arm, it looked like a red dragon that twisted its way up his arm. "Takato, what's that tattoo on your arm?" She inquired as Takato finished his exercise and stood up.

"You know, I have no idea. My parents said that I've had it since I was a baby. It's really strange, actually. It's more of a birth mark than a tattoo though." Takato laughed as he rolled his tunic's sleeve over his arms, hiding a majority of the mark, save for the tail wrapped around his thumb.

"I see, that is odd. Oh well, let's go grab some breakfast, shall we?" Jeri recommended as the two left the room and went to the mess hall.

The day went rather well, after breakfast, Takato and Jerri went to the market place, being as the princess wanted to see how her people were doing, as well as see what they were selling. They went, and they wore pretty common clothes, Jerri in a common day dress and Takato in a run-in-the mill tunic. The knight had hidden a short sword sheathed at his side, should they run into trouble and he had to protect the princess, but it was more of a formality, Luminon was a pretty safe city overall. During the day they stopped to eat lunch and by that point people had begun to recognize the princess and were greeting her formally and things like that, one thing that made the two young adults blush was that when they sat down for lunch, their waiter asked the princess if Takato was her betrothed being as they had been seen together all day. Both of them just nervously shook their heads and Takato introduced himself as her bodyguard, to which the waiter gave a polite laugh, saying that Takato looked too young to be a body guard (which caused the young knight to get a little flustered in his head), then he added that they looked like more like a couple. This led to an air of nervousness between them for the rest of the day, but it all ended when they returned to the castle, where Takato gave a report to the king and escorted Jerri to her chambers.

_Luminon, 9:00PM, same day:_

"Well, we sure had fun today…didn't we?" The knight gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah…well, good night, sir Takato." Jerri curtsied as she closed her door.

"Good night, princess." Takato sighed as he walked down the hall. He then asked a nearby tenant where the training hall was. The gentleman gave him the directions, telling him that it was in the southeast courtyard outside, afterwards Takato grabbed his lance and went there. _"Okay…I need to relax and just clear my mind. Phew…what were they thinking? The princess, me, a couple? Really…wait…really?!? I looked like I could be her fiancé? I guess I never thought of myself like __**that**__…not that I wouldn't mind…she's very nice, beautiful, and…oh common Takato, she's a princess, she's out of your league. Now focus…"_ The young man sighed as he began to practice his skills with the lance, gracefully moving around, attacking, and dodging imaginary foes, ever since he started in the academy, he learned that this was always a good way to clear his mind when he was preoccupied, there was just something thrilling to him when he used his Gram Lance. After a few minutes of practice, he set his lance down and let out a sigh of satisfaction. _"There, that's much better. Now, let's see if I can't work on my magic?"_ Takato wiped his brow and stretched his right arm forward and began to concentrate on fire, the rush that it gave, the warmth of a roaring flame, since he began learning about the use of fire themed magic, he found it easier to summon when he could picture it in his head, but in order to do that successfully he needed a clear mind. Just as his palm began to emit a soft orange color, his entire right arm began to burn with pain.

He gripped it in anguish, "Uhn…what's happening?" The knight voiced his pain as he pulled back his sleeve to check his arm, his eyes widened when he saw that his mark was glowing in a shade of crimson. "What…in the world? Rrrg…" Takato's eyes flashed from normal caramel eyes to blood red and reptile like, then back again, but it all happened so fast that the knight didn't notice. His head began to hurt, so he decided to call it a night and went up to his chamber. _"Hm…maybe I should take Alphonse up on that offer to get this thing checked out…"_ Takato thought to himself as he looked at the marking on his arm with cautious curiosity.

A/N: Hm...it seems that there's more to this curse than what Barbatos talked about. Oh, and there was some slight fluff in there, for those who wanted to read some, lol. Is it possible that Takato's feelings aren't missplaced? Find out and don't forget to review, okay?


	9. Chapter 9: Strange Occurrences

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything like that, okay? This story is my idea though, so don't use it, please.

A/N: Howdy, well this is the next chapter, it's more of a filler, but it should be good :P. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and don't forget to review, lol:

Chapter 9: Strange Occurrences

_Luminon, 4:00 PM, a week after the last chapter (12 days till next full moon):_

After his arm acting up the way it did, Takato asked King Kataou for a temporary leave, and the King granted him the time, but it was today, being as every other day up until this point the Princess was doing something, but she was staying home today, so it was okay for Takato to leave. Takato met Alphonse near the marketplace. The young knight almost didn't recognize his friend being as he was wearing a white cloak and he was out of his armor.

"Alphonse, is that you? I've never seen you without your armor." Takato laughed as he realized that it was his friend.

"Yeah, sorry about that…well, there's really no need for it today, being as I'm not on a mission, nor do I expect to run into any trouble that we can't handle unarmed. So, how's your arm feeling?" The black night questioned as he gave the limb in question an inspecting look.

"Well, it's been off an on with pain, it seems to only hurt when I practice my magic, though. I might just be doing it wrong or something…" Takato thoughtfully spoke as he pulled his right arm's sleeve back.

"Maybe, but we should check it out anyway. Come, I know of someone who might be able to aid us with your problem." Alphonse gave an assuring smile as he began to walk. Takato followed and eventually, they made it the city's temple."

"The temple? Who would we be meeting here, Alphonse?" Takato inquired when he looked upon the beautiful structure.

"The priestess, Rika Akiyama." Alphonse notified as he began to walk into the building.

"Rika Akiyama…wait, **Akiyama**? She wouldn't be related to the mission administer, Ryo Akiyama, would she?" Takato questioned in shock, his eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Actually, she's Ryo's wife." His friend laughed a little, being as he saw Takato fall over in amazement.

"Really? I never would have guessed that Ryo was married to a priestess…interesting." Takato regained himself and chuckled a little bit. After which the two knights walked into the temple and went into the gathering hall. Near the ceremonial area, there was a young lady garbed in yellow and black robes. In her right hand was a staff with many large rings hanging off of it, and she was wearing a fox mask. As they approached, Alphonse and Takato bowed in respect, the priestess did the same, only she curtsied.

"Lady Akiyama, I am Sir Alphonse, and this is my friend, Sir Takato." The black knight introduced himself as he rose from the bow.

"Well met, sir knights. What brings you to the temple?" Rika inquired as they sat down on nearby chairs.

"Well, you see, madam, it's my arm. It's been behaving very curiously." Takato replied as he rubbed his right arm.

"I see…how so?" The priestess questioned as she removed her mask, revealing she had a cream white face, vivid red hair, and crystal eyes.

"Well, when I practice my magic, it begins to ache with a terrible pain. I was wondering if you could take a look at it?" The young knight inquired as he rolled his sleeve up, revealing the dragon marking on it. When Rika saw the mark on Takato's, her eyes widened in surprise and curiosity.

"Now, where did you get that, young knight?" Rika inquired as she jumped up and quickly grabbed his arm and began to inspect it, startling Takato.

"I-I've had it since I was a baby. Why?" Takato stammered as he tried to regain himself.

"A baby you say? Hm…" Rika opened her palm and a pink light began to glow from it, the then waved her arm over the mark. "Very curious…this is definitely no birthmark. Judging by what I'm feeling from this mark…it's a curse…a strong one at…that…uhn." The young priestess all of a sudden fainted after she began to explain what she understood of the mark. Before she hit the ground, Alphonse quickly grabbed her and gave Takato a look of shock.

"Rika, are you alright? Takato, get some help!" The black knight commanded and Takato grabbed some of the higher priests in the building. They all gathered around her and began inspecting her to see if she was alright. Before they could even determine what was wrong with her, the priestess woke up, eyes filled with dread and horror.

"T-the mark…destruction…sorrow…be wary of that mark, sir knight! It may be your doom…" Rika stuttered in fear as she looked at that mark with a shocked expression on her face.

"Takato, we'd best take our leave. Thank you, lady Akiyama." Alphonse bowed respectfully as he took his friend and made their way to the exit.

"What do you suppose that was all about, Alphonse?" Takato questioned, a look of intense confusion was on his face.

"I don't know what to make of it, Takato…but it's obvious that there's more to that mark than we know. It would be wise to keep an eye on it, my friend." Alphonse gave Takato a cautious look as he gave a glance at the mark.

"I think you're right…let's just hope we don't have to find out what her words meant." The young knight sighed as they walked back to the castle.

"Indeed…" The black knight nodded his head as he followed his friend.

_Luminon, 6:30PM, same day:_

When they arrived at the castle, Alphonse and Takato shook hands, "Well, my friend, this is where our paths part for now. Be safe, and don't fret yourself too much about the mark, Takato, just keep a sharp eye and even sharper wit. Remember, I'm always there if you need me, so too is the general and I'm sure the king." Alphonse smiled as he placed his free hand on Takato's shoulder in an assuring manner.

"Thanks, Alphonse…you take care yourself." Takato gave a half-hearted smile as he watched his friend walk towards his own quarters. Before Takato entered the castle he looked at the sky to see that it was almost sunset, which meant that dinner would be served soon. _"Ah, good, I'm hungry anyway."_ Takato smiled as he entered the castle and made his way to the royal mess hall. He got himself some dinner and made his way to an empty seat that wasn't too far away from the Royal Family's table. He began eating when a maid walked by him and set a letter next to him.

"It's from the princess, sir knight. By your leave…" The lady bowed and walked away, leaving a confused Takato to look around for the Princess. She was at the Royal Table, talking with her father. His face lit up with a small blush as his attention returned to the letter next to his hand. The young knight opened it and began to read.

"_Sir Takato,_

_I really do appreciate the work you have done for me and my family as of late. You are doing a wonderful job. Oh, I apologize…please allow me to reach the point of this letter. In a week and five days my father will be hosting a royal ball, and…well, I would very much like it if you would accompany me to said ball. If you wish to decline, I will understand, just let me know by week's end._

_Yours,_

_Princess Jeri"_

"M-me? I-I don't believe it…" Takato whispered as his face became a shade of vivid red as he came to realize what the purpose of the princess's letter was. The princess was asking him to be her escort to the ball. _"Whoa…I know I like her…but…I'm only a knight. Isn't this a bit much, or at least a bit too soon?"_ The young knight sighed as he read the letter again. _"Well…maybe I should accept. At least we could talk and learn more about who we are beyond our formal masks…that way I'll find out if my feelings are genuine towards her."_ Takato gave a small grin as he turned to face the princess. _"This could be a good thing after all."_

A/N: FINALLY, the people in the strory are beginning to catch on a little to the omninous sign of Takato's mark. **:O** Jeri has pretty much asked Takato out on a date! Will this be good and turn out well for our young hero (hint: Take a **close** look at this chapter if you don't catch it, and you'll find out :P)? Well, let me know what you think by reviewing, okay?


	10. Chapter 10: Story Update

Attention readers, reviewers, and followers of The Crimson Knight:

I'm back everyone! After a long stay away due to college years and the like, I finally have a little free time to pick this little adventure up. Here's the deal on what is going to occur, now that I have returned.

1. I will go through and eliminate stories that I have absolutely lost any desire that I once had to work on (did and done).

2. I will revise and give some stories a "face-lift" (ie editing, refreshing the stories-NO WORRIES! Original plotlines and basic stories will remain the same, just edited for easier reading/clarity). My Kingdom Hearts story will recieve the most plot rearanging due to Disney Movies that have come out...zone under construction on that one, lol. My Digimon: Even Against the Darkness story will be split into two stories to make for an easier time on readers, otherwise things will primarily stay the same with that and the rest of the stories I kept.

3. I will work on my stories in this order:

-Digimon: Even Against the Darkness (now the title of the series), which will now be split into...

Part 1-Digimon: In the Devil's Grasp

Part 2-Digimon: When Starlight Guides

-Kingdom Hearts: Twilit Memories (possible split into series as well pending, will see what readers think)

-Digimon: Crimson Knight

-Gundam Seed: Twilight (will probably turn into my largest non-split work)

-Pokemon: Pheonix Colors

-Pokemon: Black Knight

-Avatar: First Light

-Digimon: A Legend of Ten Knights

-Godzilla: Chrystals Unleashed

Now this doesn't mean that I won't update other stories "out of order" on the list, it just means that my primary work will be done on the stories in the order given, with stories of lower rank serving as "creative rest" on the story in progress. In regards to answering questions/reviews/pms, I will be free most afternoons (or at least try to be) except on Sundays. I will not add a story until these stories are finished or near completion, just in case anyone was curious. I will try to have the first few updates and revisions in before the end of next week (9/21), and then we'll begin to roll on with the show. So, for all of those who reviewed and commented on my stories, thank you very much, I deeply appreciate it, and I will try to return the favor by giving an entertaining read.

I ask that you please give me a review and let me know what your thoughts are on this update, it's good to be back, and I will update, I'm just curious to see if there are still those who are interested in these stories still.

Thanks,

~KBMP


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